Reunited
by anagram29
Summary: At 26, the members of Mother-Daughter Book Club have found their own lives. However, when Emma and Stewart move back to Concord, will they be reunited?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Disclaimer: All rights to the Mother-Daughter Book Club series belong to Heather Vogel Frederick.

Emma

"Happy anniversary honey, it's been an amazing two years," Stewart says and the two of us clink our glasses together.

"You could almost say perfect," I smile at him as I take a small sip of my drink.

"Fabulous," Stewart says. Even after all these years Stewart and I carry on the time honored Hawthorne tradition of playing the synonym game.

The smell of steak drifts over to our table as the waiter walks by carrying a tray full of food, making my stomach grumble. Colonial Inn has the _best_ steaks. Stewart and I were driving around, looking for a place suitable to eat our wedding anniversary dinner in when I suggested that we go to Inn and recreate the prom memories, minus the Sophie disaster of course.

"It's a lovely evening," Stewart comments, looking out of the window next to our table, "You can almost taste the air. It's a perfect June evening. It's nice to be back in Concord finally. California was nice but it has nothing on our hometown"

"The poet in you is coming out Stewart," I tease him, "But yes, I agree with you. There's no place better than Concord."

For a moment neither of us says anything and we listen to the background noises of silverware softly clinking and low voices. A couple sits down at the table next to us but I pay no attention until I hear a familiar voice say, "I'll be right back, I just have to use the restroom," followed by the sound of a chair scraping backwards and receding footsteps.

My head whips to the right and I spy brown curls identical to mine sitting at the table next to ours. Surprise causes my voice to raise an octave, _"Darcy?"_

The young man looks over, his eyes widening when he sees me, "Emma!"

My smile is so wide it's almost splitting my face, "It's so great to see you," I nod at the empty seat across from him, "Is Jess with you?"

Darcy nods and spying Stewart says, "Hey man, how are you?"

Stewart grins, "Fabulous. We just moved back to Concord today and decided to eat here to celebrate. It's our two year anniversary."

"Congratulations, I always knew you guys would end up together eventually. The two of you are practically the same person!" Darcy tells us.

"I thought so too," I smile at Stewart and reach for his hand across the table.

At that moment, the clicking sound of high heels approaches the table and I glance up to see Jess, looking gorgeous in an elegant dress that reaches just below her knees. Her sparkling blue eyes meet mine, and just like Darcy's they widen. "Emma!" she cries, "I can't believe it's you!"

I leap up from my chair and engulf her in a hug, "Jess! You look amazing!"

More hugging commences with me hugging Darcy, Jess hugging Stewart, and me and Jess hugging again. Finally after we settled back at our tables Jess asks, "Why don't we have a spontaneous double date and catch up?"

I'm tempted to say yes, but remind myself that this is me and Stewart's anniversary and that we should celebrate together. However, as I glance at him I see he's smiling at me and nodding his head. "It'll be nice to talk," he says, "And I know you're dying to anyway."

"Thanks honey," I say and lean over the table to give him a peck on the lips.

"No problem," he smiles at me, and he and Darcy begin shifting tables, ignoring the disapproving looks from the staff.

Soon we are sitting at a joined table, Stewart across from me and Jess next to me. Jess leans toward me, "So tell me all about what's happened to you since we lost touch," she says eagerly.

I clear my throat, "So, we lost touch around the first year of college?" She nods, "Right, well then you know that in my senior year of high school Stewart and I broke up. The distance ended our relationship and then for college I headed to Vassar in upstate New York, I majored in journalism, of course."

Darcy, who is lounging in his chair grins, "Well that was no surprise Em, I think that we knew that back when you were in middle school."

Jess laughs, "It's true, but keep going Emma."

"So my college years weren't exactly filled with drinking and partying but I dated a bit, had a serious boyfriend here or there, but everything ended eventually. I graduated and moved to Philadelphia. I think Darce and I reunited around there, but just briefly. I got a job as a journalist, boring articles and stuff but one day I was sent to a writing convention in downtown Philly. And there I bumped into Stewart and we decided to get a drink together. To relive old memories, purely friendly," I chuckle and reach for Stewart's hand over the table," But needless to say we both realized that we had never gotten over each other."

Stewart pipes up, "It's true. I never had a girlfriend for more than a month. I'd always slip up and call her Em."

Darcy laughs loudly, "Nice going Chadwick. Way to be popular with the girls."

"Darcy," I chide him, but I can't help myself from smiling slightly, "Anyway, we got pretty serious. At our six month anniversary he proposed to me because he had gotten a job offer in San Francisco and wanted me to come with him."

"How did he propose?" Jess asks, "Was it romantic?"

I'm about to answer when our waitress comes and over to take our orders. After she leaves I continue with my story. "It was spring. We were taking a walk in a park; all the plants were in blossom. We're standing in a gazebo overlooking a pond when all of a sudden he gets down on one knee. He takes a little box out of his pocket and says, 'Ever since we first met at newspaper club at Walden Middle School, I've liked you. And as we got older it developed into love that has continued to grow with every day that we're together. So Emma Hawthorne, will you marry me?"

Jess sighs, her eyes dreamy, "Oh my gosh, that is so romantic."

Stewart says cockily, "It was pretty romantic if I might say so myself."

Darcy rolls his eyes and taps Jess's arm, "What? Does it outshine my proposal?"

I gape at her, "You guys are _married_?"

"Yeah," Jess says nonchalantly. She holds her left hand towards me and on her ring finger sparkles a silver wedding ring with small diamonds embedded in it. "We were saving money, so we decided to forgo the classic engagement ring." Turning to Darcy she adds, "Stewart's definitely outshines your proposal in terms of how romantic it was." She glances at me, "He proposed to me right after he won his college football game in front of all the fans. He didn't even have a ring."

Stewart roars with laughter, "Classy move. So how long have you two been married?"

Darcy smiles, "Two and a half years. We had a long engagement."

I hug Jess, "Well congratulations, anyway."

She returns the hug but pulls away after a second, "I want to hear the rest of your story."

I nod at Stewart, "Honey, how about you take it from here?"

Stewart smiles at me, "Of course Emma said yes to my beautifully planned proposal and within a month we were packed and ready to move to San Francisco. We found a studio apartment and got settled in. Soon enough I began my job and Emma received a job offer as an editor. As happy as we were, Emma and I both realized we wanted to be officially married so we began to plan it. Even though we sent a lot of invitations, it ended up being a very small wedding; we knew most people wouldn't be able to fly out on such short notice."

"We got the invitation, which was beautiful by the way, but decided we couldn't swing it on our budget," Jess says.

"Thanks Jess. I picked them out myself," I reply.

"Anyway, it was really beautiful. A perfect June evening on a small beach at low tide, friends and family around us. The two of us kept working and getting used to married life until last month, when we decided to move back to Concord." Stewart continues.

"Hold up," Darcy says, "Why did you move across the country so quickly? I would have just stayed in Cali."

I smile at Stewart, a tad nervously but filled with a giddy feeling. Should I tell them? I silently ask. He shrugs as if to say it's your choice. "Well, we haven't told anyone but I suppose you are the best people. I'm pregnant."

Darcy stares open mouthed at me. Jess looks shocked but quickly recovers. "Oh my gosh. You guys! Congratulations!" she squeals.

Stewart grins, his whole face alight, "Yeah, we're so happy. We wanted to be able to settle in before the baby comes and have our parents nearby."

"I'm going to be an uncle?" stutters Darcy.

"Yeah Darce. Get ready for baby craziness!" I joke.

"Wait, how far along are you Emma?" Jess asks.

"Umm… well, about four months. I'm just starting to show," I reply.

The rest of the meal flies by with Jess and I talking about nurseries and maternity clothes while Darcy and Stewart discuss hockey and how Concord's changed. I find out that Jess and Darcy have been together ever since high school and that they are living in a small house in Concord although they might soon move into Half Moon Farm, depending on how good Mr. Delaney feels. I ask her about the rest of the old book club, Megan, Cassidy, Becca, and even people like Sophie, Zach, and Ethan and Third. Amazingly enough they are still in and around Concord and we agree we should host a get together. After the meal we are all standing around outside the Inn, saying goodbye and making promises to see each other as soon as possible.

Stewart and I hop into our Subaru and drive slowly home, reminiscing about our teen years and enjoying the warm breezes that blow in through our open windows. As we pull up in the driveway of our new house I see that we've accidentally left a light on, and it shines into the night like a beacon. And as I smell the freshly mown grass, I realize that Stewart and I are truly where we belong, in Concord with all our friends and family.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Disclaimer: All rights to the Mother-Daughter Book Club series belong to Heather Vogel Frederick.

Megan

It's only five in the morning and I'm already stressed out. I'm madly packing so Simon and I can make our seven o'clock flight back to Concord. We made a trip to Paris so we could visit Gigi and Edouard and see if I could get a new contract with a fashion company.

My cell rings and I quickly spy it on a dresser on the opposite side of the hotel room. "Simon!" I yell, "Can you pick up my cell?"

"Can't! I'm shaving," he yells back and I spy him through the open bathroom door with shaving cream all over his face.

Sighing in exasperation I begin to cross the room which is harder than it sounds considering I have at least six open suitcases on the floor with clothes spilling out of them. I'm breathless by the time I reach the phone, "Megan Wong-Berkley speaking."

"Megan!" I'm surprised to hear Jess's voice on the line but once I do the calculation of the time difference I realize it's only about 11:15 PM in Concord.

"Hey Jess," I reply, "What's up?"

"You'll never guess who Darcy and I just had dinner with at Colonial Inn!" She sounds excited and breathless.

"Who?" I ask, only half paying attention. I'm trying to fold a new dress I bought without getting a permanent crease in it.

"Emma!" she exclaims.

This gets my attention and I look up from the dress, "Emma _Hawthorne_?" I ask incredulously.

She laughs, "Yeah, well technically Emma Chadwick. It's her and Stewart's two year anniversary today."

"Wow, yeah. I mean I got the invitation but Simon and I were leaving for Europe the week before. How was she?"

Jess's voice is bright, "Great. She and Stewart moved back to Concord for good. She said that she was—" She cuts off abruptly.

"She was what?" I ask curiously.

There's a pause on the other end of the line, "It's not my news to tell."

I'm about to try and wheedle the information out of her but Simon steps out of the bathroom, freshly shaved and dressed and motions to me that we should begin to leave. I groan, "Listen Jess, I've got to go, me and Simon are flying in Logan today. Tell me when I get back."

"You're flying back today?" Jess asks, "Maybe I'll get Emma to come with me to meet you. What time does your flight get in?"

"Ten in the morning, your time. I'll see you there. Bye!" I punch the end button on my phone.

"Megan! Hurry and pack, we're going to miss our flight at this rate," Simon says.

"Sorry sweetie," I begin stuffing clothing into bags, regardless of value or creases. I fill him in about Emma as we grab our bags and head to the elevator. Inside the brightly lit lobby, Simon asks that a taxi be called to bring us to the airport and we settle on a love seat that has a convenient view of the street in front.

"So are you happy that you'll see Emma again?" Simon asks, his British accent is as evident as ever even though for the past eight years he's been living in America.

I beam at him, "Yeah, it's exciting. We used to be such good friends. I mean, I still think of us as best friends, but that's silly because we haven't seen each other in like three years."

Simon smiles, "That's not silly. You had such a strong bond even distance and lack of contact couldn't break it."

"Thanks," I smile at him and he smiles back. He's still as handsome, if not more, as when we first met.

We see our taxi pull up and leap up with our bags. Two and a half hours later I find myself seated in my first class seat on an airplane that is thirty-five thousand feet above the ground.

A stewardess wheeling a cart stops next to me, "Would you like our breakfast special ma'am?" She asks.

I nod appreciatively but when she puts it in front of me, the smell of scrambled egg and some type of sausage revolt me.

"You okay, love?" Simon asks me, his forehead wrinkled in concern.

"Yeah," I say even though I'm feeling a bit nauseous. All of a sudden I can feel that I'm going to be sick, "Actually, no!" I leap up from my seat and make a run for the bathroom, hoping to god it's not occupied.

Thankfully, it's not and I push open the doors and kneel by the toilet, waiting for something to come up. I hear Simon come in with me and shut the door. He kneels down next to me and begins to rub my back and pulls my black hair away from my face as I throw up.

"I'm sorry Simon," I murmur.

"For what?" He asks, mystified.

"For making you come into a little gross airplane bathroom with your wife who is throwing up. For making you live in Concord when I know you'd rather live in London or Paris or Bath. For not being a good wife."

I look up and see that Simon looks shocked, "Megan. How could you possibly think that? Any of that? I don't care that we're stuck in here. I made vows that I would stand by you in sickness and health and I will. Anyway, you'd do the same for me. And as for not living in London or Paris or Bath, I don't have a sentimental connection to them. I know how much Concord means to you and that makes me happy. Besides," he says with a sly smile, "Tristan lives in Concord too, so I'm not completely separated from my family. And Megan? Don't even think of saying you're a bad wife. You're the best."

There's a long silence and I look at Simon and give him a small smile and say, "Thank you. You're truly the best husband."

He helps me up and leads me back to our seats where he orders me a cup of water and some toast. After eating the toast I drift off into sleep against Simon's shoulder. I awake with a start. It's that time in the flight when most of the lights are off and people are either watching a movie or sleeping. To my right, Simon is snoring lightly, his head resting against the window. He looks so peaceful that I don't wake him. Instead I pull my phone out from my bag and switch it on. I open the photos app and go to the album labeled "The Berkley's". Smiling I start from the beginning.

The first photo is of Simon and me at his birthday party where he first kissed me. It's followed by photos of us in our freshman year, both by ourselves and surrounded by our friends. When I get to a photo of the whole Mother Daughter Book Club in England with the Berkeleys I smile at the memory of the Regency Ball. There are other photos, when Simon and I were reunited at college, when we went to our first party, college graduation, our apartment, the night he proposed, and our wedding photo. The most recently added one is of Simon, Gigi, Edouard, and me in front of the River Seine, taken only two days before.

In it we all happy but upon closer inspection you can see Gigi looks tired. She has more wrinkles and is slightly slumped. However, she still has impeccable fashion sense and has her arm around me. I sigh, once I moved out of the house for college, Gigi decided that she and Edouard would permanently relocate to Paris since she was getting older but welcomed anyone to come visit her. Simon and I even held our wedding in Paris so she could attend, which ultimately meant none of my friends could come.

Suddenly I feel dizzy. I lean back in my seat and will myself to relax. After a few deep breaths I'm steadier and decide to watch a movie to pass the time. I put in my ear buds and allow myself to be swept into a different world. Shortly after the movie ends Simon wakes up.

Stretching he says, "Feel better?"

"Much," I tell him.

"That's good," he says, taking my hand and tracing circles and running his thumb over my engagement ring and wedding ring.

Moments later the speaker crackles and we are informed that we should prepare for landing. I begin to pack up my things, turn off my phone, and fold the table against the seat. I lean over Simon and open the screen that was pulled over the window and watch as the plane circles lower and lower until it finally reaches the ground.

As we wait to be left off the plane I check my messages. There are three from Jess. The first reads MEGS. WE'RE HERE. CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU! The next once says IS YOUR FLIGHT DELAYED? WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR LIKE ½ AN HOUR. The last one tells me WE'RE HUNGRY. WE'LL MEET YOU BUY THAT BAGEL PLACE BY THE BATHROOMS.

I laugh and respond SOUNDS GREAT. ABOUT TO GET OFF THE PLANE. SEE YOU IN A FEW! J

Fifteen minutes we have our luggage and are in search of "the bagel place by the bathrooms". I finally find it after I spot Jess's trademark braid.

"Jess!" I wave madly and run to the bagel place.

"Megan!" She hugs me and steps away, revealing Emma and Stewart. Stewart looks the same as in high school, a bit taller and he's ditched the glasses for contacts. Emma's the one who has really changed. She's tall, taller than me and Jess. She's also a lot slimmer and is wearing a very flattering sun dress. But besides that, she holds herself with more confidence and seems to glow with happiness.

We look at each other for a moment and then simultaneously step forward and hug each other, crying.

"It's so amazing to see you!" Emma gushes.

"You look amazing!" I say, grinning at her, "Hey Stewart," I wave at him. He waves back.

I glance at the table they're sitting at. It has five chairs. Darcy, Jess, Emma, and Stewart occupy four of them and the fifth is empty with a handbag hanging off it.

I point to the last chair, "Who's sitting there?"

"Me," says a voice from behind me. I spin around and see a familiar face wearing its trademark grin.

I gasp, "_Cassidy?_"

"Hey dude," she smiles at me.

I lean in for a hug and realize she's holding something. No, some_one_. A toddler. I stare at her, stunned and manage to stutter, "Who's that?"

Cassidy looks down at the little girl in her arms. "This," she announces, "is my daughter, Eva."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Thank you for all the reviews! They really helped to motivate me to write this chapter! **

Disclaimer: All rights to the Mother-Daughter Book Club series belong to Heather Vogel Frederick.

Cassidy

The look on Megan's face is priceless. I wish I had my camera with my so I could document it forever. But I don't, so instead I burst into hysterical laughter which disturbs Eva, who squirms.

"Sorry baby," I murmur to her after I calm down and adjust her so her head rests against my shoulder.

Megan is staring at Eva, transfixed. She then shakes her head, "Wait…what…Cassidy… what the hell?" she sputters. "You were in the Olympics only like two years ago!"

"That's true," I acknowledge, "But Eva is only a year old. Three months after the Olympics I got pregnant. Perfect timing," I smile at her brightly.

But Megan still has more questions. "Who's the father?" she demands. At that moment, Eva twists around in my arms and looks directly at her. "Oh…" Megan says almost inaudibly.

"Yup," I say, popping the "p". "She got his eyes and my hair."

I smile down at Eva. She looks back up at me with dark blue eyes, just like Tristan's. I push a curl of unruly red hair back and kiss the tip of her nose.

I notice Emma staring at me. "What?" I ask defensively.

She laughs and shakes her head, "It's just that I've never seen you 'mommy mode'. The last time I saw you was on TV for the winter Olympics, chasing a puck down the rink."

"And I won gold," I boast.

"We know, show off," Jess tells me jokingly.

I look around; we're all still crammed into the bagel place even though the husbands have all made their way to a table and are drinking coffee. My phone buzzes in my pocket and I put Eva in Megan's willing arms before looking at the new text. It's from Tristan HEY CASS. HAVE YOU PICKED UP MEGAN YET? I text him back and within moments receive a reply GREAT. HOW ABOUT YOU INVITE ALL OF THEM BACK TO OUR HOUSE FOR SOME LUNCH?

I retrieve Eva from Megan and say, "How about we have a proper reunion back at my place? I can drive you and Simon if you want," I add to Megan.

"Sure," she says with a smile, "I know Simon is dying to see Tris anyway." She turns to Emma, "Simon and I have been in Europe for a while which is why I didn't know about little Eva here."

Jess and Emma both agree saying that because it's Saturday they have nothing else planned. Megan, Emma, and Jess all herd their husbands out of the café and into the airport's parking lot where they peel off to their respective cars. Meanwhile Simon, Megan, and I try to figure out how to fit all of Megan's suitcases into my car.

"Sheesh Megan. How much stuff did you pack?" I ask, huffing and puffing once we've successfully shut the trunk. Having to take care of a baby has caused me to get totally out of shape.

"Cut me some slack. I was gone for like a year and a half," she says.

"Then how come Simon has only two suitcases to your ten?" I challenge.

"He's a guy," she explains to me like it should be obvious.

"Ohhh right. I get it now," I say sarcastically.

"Shut it, Sloane," she laughs and lightly punches me in the shoulder.

I look at her, surprised. "How'd you know?"

"What do you mean?" Megan asks.

"You called me Sloane. Tris and I aren't married.," I tell her.

"Just force of habit I suppose. Wait, you and Tristan aren't married?!" She looks stunned.

I flush slightly and bite my lip. The truth is Tristan and I _aren't_ married. We aren't even engaged. But that doesn't matter because neither he nor I have plans to leave. Still, it sometimes is awkward to admit it. "Yeah," I say quietly.

"Oh well, all that matters is you're happy," she says softly and hugs me.

I laugh, feeling better, "Enough of this gooshy stuff," I bat her away, "Let's get in the car. I'm starving!"

The three of us climb into my car where Eva is already in her car seat. Megan and Simon opt to sit in the back so Megan can coo over Eva. I start the car and as I pull onto the high way I glance into the rear view mirror and spy Eva's red curls. I smile; ever since she was born she's been the center of my universe. When I was younger I used to hate babies-except Chloe of course- but now that I'm a mother I can see what people like about them. My thoughts drift to Tristan. He and I began to date regularly after Gigi's wedding and managed to keep our relationship going even after he returned to England. Once I began to train for the Olympics, he came to America permanently and became my number one supporter. He's been there for me all the way, helping me train, making sure I stuck to my diet, and was the first to congratulate me when I made the Olympic team and then brought the team to gold. And after, he was there when I told him I was pregnant, for my mood swings, midnight cravings, and the delivery.

I'm broken out of my thoughts when I pull up in the driveway of my house and Megan squeals, "Are you kidding me Cass? Your mom gave you the house?"

I twist around the seat and grin at her, "Yeah, she and Stan decided it was time for a change so the two of them and Chloe moved into another house about ten minutes away."

"You're so lucky," she sighs. "Si, look at the turret!"

"I see, love. It's pretty amazing," Simon says patiently.

I laugh as I get out of the car and walk to the other side to get Eva out. At that moment the door flies open and Tristan comes running out calling, "Simon! Simon! Welcome back!"

Simon jumps out of the car and the two of them meet in a manly hug, "Aw, it's good to see you. So glad you thought to tell me that you're a father now."

Tristan freezes, his face going rigid. "Oops?"

Simon chuckles, "It's okay. I guess you had a lot going on."

I step in between the two of them and hand Eva to Tristan, "I hate to break it up but we should go inside and get lunch ready since Emma and Jess should be here about,"—two cars pull into the driveway behind mine—"now."

The next five minutes is a flurry of people being ushered into the living room, sandwiches being made, and lemonade being served. Finally everything settles down; Eva has been put down for her nap, the men are in the garden devouring massive amounts of food and discussing the latest sports news, while us girls are in the living room, gossiping.

"So," Emma says brightly, "We're all here."

"Well except Becca," Megan points out.

"True. But I think she's too busy to come over. Pies and Prejudice gets pretty crowded on Saturdays," Jess comments.

"Wait," Emma says, "Becca still works at P&P?"

"Yeah, well, I mean I guess. She does own it after all." I shrug and pop an olive into my mouth.

"She _owns_ it?" Emma's mouth is open.

"Catch," Jess laughs and tosses a cracker in her direction, "But yeah, when Gigi moved to Paris permanently she left it to Becca. It's staffed by her and a couple of kids from Alcott High. She and her husband live over it."

I remember how shocked Becca was and how surprised we were when she accepted. The former Queen Bee running a restaurant? But she's proved herself to be a good cook and good with finance even though she almost flunked math back in high school. She has to be doing something right considering it's always packed with teenagers hanging out or adults out to get a cup of coffee.

"Who's her husband?" Emma asks. "Theo?"

I grin mischievously, "Nope, not Theo. I'll give you a hint. He went to our high school."

Megan and Jess are rolling on the floor, howling with laughter.

Emma's eyes widen in mock terror when she sees their reactions, "Not," she gasps, "Kevin Mullins?"

"No you dummy," I say, "Not Kevin Mullins. Imagine _Becca_ married to Kevin Mullins."

"Then who? Tell me please," Emma begs, "I'm imagining worst case scenarios here!"

"Nothing could be as worse than Kevin Mullins," says Jess in between bursts of laughter.

"Third? Ethan?" Emma continues to list boys from our high school.

Megan shakes her head, pressing her lips together to keep from laughing.

Emma looks around at us, wide eyed, "It isn't…Zach Norton is it?"

We all grin at her and she looks like she might actually faint. "Zach switched out to University of Minnesota in sophomore year. Becca was still dating Theo at that point but eventually went out with Zach. They've been on and off for a few years but finally got married about six months ago," I explain.

"Wait, does that mean that none of us attended each other's weddings?" Emma says.

"Not exactly," Jess said slowly. "I went to Becca's, Megs and Becca came to mine. But Megan got married in Paris so none of us could go."

"Oh geez, I've missed out a lot, haven't I?" Emma said wistfully.

"Yup," I say without any sympathy, flashing her grin when she glares at me.

"Well, I mean maybe it was good that we drifted a bit," Jess says.

When we all turn to glare at her she backtracks, "I didn't mean that!" she protests. "I just meant it enabled us to find our own lives. And now that we've settled down a little bit, we realize how much we've missed each other and can go back to hanging out. After all, we all live in Concord now."

Megan looks thoughtful, "That's true Jess. I mean I was able to focus on becoming a really great fashion designer. Now that it's off and running I have more time to relax and be more social."

Emma adds, "Living in California made me realize how much I appreciate Concord and being close to friends and family." She looks at us solemnly, "You do know that the members of our book club are now in-laws right? Jess and I are sisters-in-law, Megan is a sister-in-law to Tristan, and Simon and Megan are the aunt and uncle to Eva. I'm a sister-in-law to Becca which means by default…" her brow furrows, "I'm an in-law to Zach Norton!"

I crack up, but beneath the laughter I'm thinking about what Jess said. It's true; I became an Olympic hockey player after the book club split up because I was truly able to concentrate on my goal and put all my energy into it. Although I would've liked to have my friends around when I gave birth to my first child, it enabled me to become used to being a mother by myself. But despite that, I'm overjoyed at being with my friends.

I look up and see that Jess, Emma, and Megan are in the middle of a conversation which is such a familiar old sight that I choke up. I manage to clear my throat and walk over to them, smiling. "Alright ladies, I think it's time to eat because I'm…"

"STARVING! " they all yell. I grin; they know me too well.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

**Author's Note: Hey guys! Thanks for the reviews, they made my day! I started school a few days ago and now the workload is starting up again so I might not be able to update as often. This chapter isn't my best and I don't think it captures Becca's personality very well, but I guess it's up for you to decide. Enjoy! **

Disclaimer: All rights to the Mother-Daughter Book Club series belong to Heather Vogel Frederick.

Becca

I squint across the crowded store at the dessert display case wondering if I should have put the brownies at the front of the case instead of the cakes. Aren't more people more likely to buy brownies as a snack? I mentally kick myself but before I can berate myself more, a hand waves in front of my face.

"Excuse me ma'am? I asked what the specials were." The man I'm currently waiting on sounds impatient.

"Oh sorry," I force an apologetic smile and list all the dishes we're offering today. Even after over two years of running the shop I'm still surprised that I have the patience to deal with customers (who can at times be rude and irritating) on a daily basis.

Once the customer finally decides what he wants, I wait on a couple of other tables and then weave my way through the packed tea-shop to the kitchen where I place the orders with Samantha, a part time employee. As I'm making sure that the food is being prepared properly I suddenly feel exhausted. It's three in the afternoon and I've been on my feet since six this morning.

One of the waitresses, Abby catches my eye and waves me over. I head towards her reluctantly, sure that there's some problem I need to resolve. Instead she says, "Becca, take a break. Seriously. You look dead on your feet."

"I can't," I wave her away. "There's too much to do. This place is jam-packed. You guys will be over run in minutes."

"We won't," she promises me, "I know it seems like only weeks since you hired us but it's actually been like ten months. We know how to handle the Saturday crowd. I'll call you if anything goes wrong. I swear."

I'm tempted to argue but I know Abby is right. I need to take a break so I trudge up the stairs to the apartment above the tea-shop that Zach and I live in.

"Zach!" I call out as I swing open the front door.

His deep voice floats out from a room towards the back, "In here!"

I follow the sound of his voice and find him sitting in the sunny kitchen at the table, tapping away at his laptop. I smile at the sight; Zach's a doctor so he's always working on something, even on the weekends. He's barefoot and wearing a pair of shorts and a white t-shirt. His chin is covered in stubble and his blond hair is swept back carelessly. When he sees me he stands up and wraps me in a hug.

"You look dead on your feet," he says into my hair, his arms still around me.

"Why does everyone keep saying that?" I complain.

"Because it's true," he laughs. Drawing away from me, he gives me a peck on the forehead. "I'll make you some lunch and then we'll relax for a bit. I'm almost done with my work so there's no excuse."

I smile at him; sometimes it's difficult to realize that I'm actually married to Zach Norton, the boy I've had a crush on since I was in kindergarten. Heading into our bedroom I change out of my uniform which is still the style that Megan once said made me look like, "a French maid in a bad sitcom." I kept them as a sort of tribute to Gigi and the original shop. But it's not like anything else about the shop has really changed either. The color scheme is exactly the same, the quotes still on the wall, and the shop looks just as fresh and sunny as it did on the day it opened. I've expanded it so that it's open for all three meals (plus dessert) and hired some new staff.

After slipping into a pair of shorts and a blouse, I pad into the kitchen to see that Zach's set out a ham and cheese sandwich with a glass of lemonade. I thank him and proceed to wolf the entire thing down, realizing that I was much hungrier than I thought. When I'm finished the two of us settle down on the sofa in the living room and pop in a movie.

As the two of us cuddle on the sofa and watch the movie I reflect on the past few years. I worked at P&P all through high school, only quitting when I decided to go to University of Minnesota (which had no reason to do with Theo of course). I was perfectly content there, determined to do well in my architecture course and required classes. It was a bit refreshing, there was nobody I knew there except for Theo so I was able to completely reinvent myself and wash away all traces of Fab Four Becca. So it was a bit of a shock when in sophomore year I saw Zach walking across campus. Even though the two of us parted as friends in our last year of high school, I did my best to avoid him, not wanting to accidentally revert back to my Queen Bee self. But he determinedly tracked me down and when we started talking he asked me on a date. And amazingly enough I managed to muster enough willpower to refuse, stating that I was still going out with Theo. However, he continued to pester me, asking me out every time he saw me until I finally gave in. Who realized that he was so stubborn?

"What was that?" Zach asks, turning to face me on the couch.

"Hmmm?" I say, before realizing that I'd said the last part of my thoughts out loud. "Nothing, I was just remembering our college years."

"They were fun, weren't they?" he says softly. The sunlight comes through the window, highlighting his face.

"Yeah. But being married to you is also fun," I grin at him. By now the movie is over and the credits are rolling.

Zach stands up and stretches before pulling me off the sofa. We stand there for a moment, our hands intertwined, enjoying the moment. Then we hear a burst of laughter from the street and my phone vibrates. I dig around in my pocket and check my messages.

"Who is it?" Zach asks, peering at my phone screen.

"Megan," I tell him, "She says, 'look out the window!'"

Zach wanders over to the window and peers out. "Geez Becca. Come over here."

I join him and look at the street and laugh. Standing beneath our window is the daughter half of the Mother-Daughter Book Club, smiling and waving madly. I push up the window and call out, "Guys? What are you doing here?"

Megan, who is decked out in designer clothes she probably spent a fortune on during her trip to Paris, cups her hands around her mouth and yells back, "We're here to reunite the book club! Are you in?"

I glance at Zach who is looking on with an amused look on his face. "Go," he says in my ear, "Have fun and take a twenty from my wallet on the table."

I give him a kiss and lean back out the window, "Give me a second! I'll be down, I just have to change and check on the tea-shop!"

I scurry to my closet, change into a new outfit, and dash into the bathroom to brush my teeth and hair. Jogging into the kitchen I grab my purse and stuff in the twenty dollar bill Zach gives me. I shove my feet into a pair of sandals and clatter down the stairs into the shop. I find Abby, the employee I trust most and give her instructions on how to close the shop if I'm not back. Finally I push the door open and walk into the humid evening where I immediately find myself at the center of a sticky hug.

"Group hug!" yells Cassidy joyfully.

"Ugh guys. It's amazing to see you all but I have two points, a) it is way too hot for group hugs and b) we're grown women, shouldn't we be more, I don't know, dignified?" I ask them.

Emma, who looks tired but happy, rolls her eyes, "Becca. Who cares?"

Megan pushes her way through Emma, Jess, and Cassidy so she stands right in front of me. "Fine then. If you insist we'll hug you one at a time." She pulls me into a hug and I catch a whiff of her perfume, Chanel No. 5.

I nod approvingly at her outfit. "You look great Megs. Very Parisian."

"Merci mademoiselle. You aren't looking too bad yourself." She releases me from the hug.

Jess approaches us, "Hey Becca. Looking good." She smiles at me, we saw each other only about two weeks ago when she stopped by Pies and Prejudice with Darcy for lunch.

Emma steps forward. She's wearing a form fitting dress that shows a tiny baby bump. I stare jealously but shake it off. I should be happy for her, I'm sure that I'll have one eventually. "So I hear you snagged Norton," she grins at me.

"Yeah, who would've guessed?" I grin back at her. "Luckily I don't suffer from constant Zach attacks."

Emma's eyes widen fractionally but she relaxes, obviously she's let go of the notebook incident. "I'm sure that he's cute as ever," she says smoothly, "But I've got the gorgeous Stewart Chadwick."

I gag a bit, "Emma! He's my brother!"

"Whoops sorry," she giggles, "It slipped my mind."

"Anyway," Cassidy cuts in, "What should we do now that we're all together?"

Jess responds promptly. "Get in somewhere that has air-conditioning."

We all laugh and Megan suggests Kimball Farm so that we can "relive our book club tradition." We agree and minutes later we're in Jess's car, the air-conditioning on full blast, singing along to the radio, laughing hysterically at how off-key we are, except Jess of course. Minutes later we pull into Kimball's parking lot and we all pile out of the car, laughing and chattering. We get in line and order, I get two scoops of mint-chocolate chip, Jess decides on a scoop of vanilla, Emma and Megan get strawberry while Cassidy orders vanilla, strawberry, and black raspberry, "The Union Jack," she jokes.

We all settle at a table, eating our ice cream cones and I catch up on everyone's lives. The shop keeps me so busy that even though Emma's been back for a week I haven't had any contact with any of them. It's amazing how everyone's lives have taken them in different directions but eventually brought them back here.

"It's the Winding Hall of Fate," I comment.

Emma stares at me, "I didn't think you'd remember that."

I snort, "I read the books before you Emma, don't forget. I think _something_ might stick."

"Well nothing stuck in _my_ head," Cassidy says cheerfully, "I can't remember a single darned thing that happened in those books."

Jess's eyes twinkle, "So you don't even remember Tony and Joe? And which one you picked?"

Cassidy flushes a bit and we all chuckle. Emma leans forward eagerly, "Listen, I have an idea." We all turn towards her and I'm suddenly struck how much she resembles her mother when she would lead our meetings back when we were younger. "Well, I mean we had such a good time doing book club back in middle and high school, I thought maybe we could start it up again."

Silence falls over the table. Jess shifts uncomfortably and I fidget while Megan toys with her hair. Jess looks up, "I mean maybe if I had time." Her expression is doubtful.

Megan shoots an embarrassed glance at Emma, "Well…perhaps." But she sounds unsure.

I'm not sure what to think. Aren't we too old? And we have other things going on in our lives.

Emma sees our lack of enthusiasm and deflates a bit. "It was just a thought. We don't have to do it," she says softly.

Then the one person I never expected would say she wanted to read books pushes back her chair and stands, towering above all of us. In a clear ringing voice she says, "Well _I_ think we _should_ start it again."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

**Author's Note: Sorry for not updating sooner but school isn't easing up. But the reviews definitely helped! This chapter is mostly dialogue between the girls with a lame ending but I hope you like it anyway! **

Disclaimer: All rights to the Mother-Daughter Book Club series belong to Heather Vogel Frederick.

Jess

"Class is dismissed," I say, waving my hand and watch students file out of the classroom, laughing and chattering excitedly. I sit down heavily in my chair and begin shuffling the papers stacked on my desk. The school year is almost over and I've got a ton of grading to do. I pick up a test in front of me and scan the first question: Explain Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. I barely glance at the answer scrawled beneath it before throwing it down. I'm exhausted and I just want to go home to relax. But I force myself to pick it up again and begin checking the answers.

An hour later my cell rings and I grab it, tucking between it between my shoulder and ear as I start up my computer, "Hello?"

"Hey sweetheart," Darcy says. I relax; it's good to hear his deep familiar voice.

"How're you?" I ask him as I type in my password, pulling up a document with students grades on it.

"Great," he replies, "So are you coming home before you go out?"

"Go out?" I echo blankly, "Go out where?"

"Book club. Or had you forgotten?" I can hear the smile in his voice.

"Damn it," I cursed. "I completely forgot. I think I'm going to drop off my stuff at home and then head over to Emma's. I'll see you in a few."

"Alright, see you." I hear a beep and know he's hung up. Checking my watch I grab a pile of papers and stuff them in my tote bag. It's a quarter past four, I need to get going.

I pack up the rest of my things, shut down my computer and jog out of the classroom, switching the lights off as I leave. I smile softly as I pass through the empty halls of Walden Middle School, remembering all the memories of my teen years. I wave goodbye to the security guard and push open the main door, wincing as the hot air hits me. Only a couple of cars are left in the parking lot, everybody's left early on this hot summer Friday and I easily locate my Prius. I dump my bag on the passenger seat and slide into the driver's seat.

Driving home is the perfect time for me to let my mind go blissfully empty. But it can't. Instead my mind is filled with thoughts of lesson plans, students, Darcy, and book club. I mull over the experiment I'm having my students conduct and Monday and idly wonder how Darcy's lecture at the college went this morning. When I pull up in a parking spot I let myself sit for a few moments before facing the three flights of stairs that I have to climb in order to reach my condo.

I stagger up the last flight of stairs and huffing and puffing I slide my key into the lock of our front door and stumble inside. I find Darcy lounging on the sofa watching TV with a glass of ice water in his hand.

He takes in my sweaty face and messy hair before grinning at me, "I told you that you should take up a sport."

"You sound like Cassidy," I grumble. "It's just hot outside."

"Sure it is," he teases me before getting up and walking to the kitchen to refill his glass of water and get me some. I trail behind him and hang my bag over one of the chairs.

I take a big gulp of the water he hands me. "Thanks. It hits the spot. How was the college?"

"Same old. Your day was probably more interesting. Did the students give you any trouble?" he asks. That's one of the thing I love about Darcy. He's so modest; even though he's a college professor at the age of twenty-eight doesn't mean he brags. Instead he's more interested in how my day teaching a bunch of rowdy eighth graders went.

"Mmmm," I say noncommittally. "But I have a ton of grading to do."

"That stinks," he says, putting an arm around my shoulder.

"Totally. And so do I so I'm going to go take a shower before heading over to Emma's place."

He laughs and pulls away, "Alright, you can find me on the sofa when you're done."

I smack him lightly and go to the bathroom where I take an icy shower to refresh myself. Afterwards, I wrap my hair in a towel and comb through my closet to find clothes I can wear to book club. I change into a skirt made of light, frothy material, slip on a tank top, and pull on a pair of flip flops and braid my hair. I slip into the living room, scoop up my copy _Of Mice and Men_, and drop a kiss on the top of Darcy's head before slinging a messenger bag over my shoulder and hurrying down the stairs.

It's a short drive to Emma's house, short enough that I don't turn on the radio. I get out of the car and slam the door. Emma comes out on the porch and waves, setting down the pitcher of lemonade she was holding. I climb the porch steps and hug her tightly, only letting go when it gets too hot. I step away and smile at her. She, like me, is dressed for the heat, a pair of denim shorts and a light blouse. Her shoulder length hair is in a loose ponytail and she's barefoot.

"Em!"

"Jess! Man, it's hot isn't it?" She wipes her hand across her forehead dramatically.

I laugh and prod her inside, grabbing the lemonade as I pass by it, feeling the condensation trickle down my wrist, a welcome relief from the heat. Inside, I look around and giggle.

Emma turns around and raises her eyebrow, "What's so funny?"

I gesture at the boxes that are stacked along the length of the hallway, "You've been back in Concord for like three weeks. You haven't unpacked but there are already books all over the place."

She holds her hands up in mock defense, "Whoa. It wasn't just me that made this mess, Stewart reads too." She pointed to a hardcover that had a bookmark marking a place halfway through it, "Does that look like my kind of book?"

I stare at the book for a moment, "I don't know. You read everything so every book looks like your kind of book."

Rolling her eyes, she gives me a light punch on the shoulder right as the doorbell rings. "I'll get," I volunteer. "You should sit down," I say, glancing at her now slightly protruding belly.

"Alright," she says agreeably, and as I stroll back to the door I hear her settle down in an arm chair.

I put the lemonade on the kitchen table and go back to the hall. As soon as the door swings open, Becca and Megan crowd into the house. "Wow, it smells delicious in here," Becca says.

"Yes-" Megan begins before turning faintly green.

"Oh…ummmm," I say flustered before I call out, "Emma! Where's the bathroom?"

She yells back, "First door at the second floor."

Megan darts off, and Becca and I stare at each, shrugging after a moment. We join Emma in the living room, seating ourselves on a large sofa. "It's nice in here," Becca compliments Emma.

"Thanks. I think so too," Emma smiles at her. And it's true, the room looks nice. In fact the whole house looks nice. The walls are all soft colors with rugs in complimenting colors. The furniture is made of dark wood and looks comfortable and like her parents, Emma has bookshelves in every room. Since everything isn't unpacked, the house is a bit messy but it just makes it more appealing. The two story house is also cool due to the central air system they have and soft music drifts from a stereo in the corner of the living room.

I'm just settling into the sofa when the door bell rings. "Again?" I groan, before pulling myself up and padding down the hall to the door.

Cassidy's red hair reflects the sun and frames her face wildly. "Hey Jess," she flashes me a grin before sliding past me into the house, craving like the rest of us, a respite from the heat.

I poke my head into the living room, where Megan has rejoined us and is perched on the edge of an arm chair. "Hey, want me to bring in the snacks?" I ask Emma, who is interrogating Cassidy about what the best type of crib was.

"That would be great. Thank you," she smiles at me. "Check the counter and fridge. You'll know them when you see them."

I retreat to the kitchen and pull open the fridge door. I spy a huge plate of strawberries along with some cream and on the counter is a plate of brownies. I rifle around the cupboard until I find a tray which I load full of the goodies. Balancing the tray carefully, I head back to my friends where I set it down on the coffee table in front of Emma. Since Megan has taken my spot, I squeeze next to Emma in the oversized armchair.

There's a lull in the conversation and I turn to Cassidy. "So is Tristan on baby-sitting duty?"

She shakes her head, smiling slightly, "Nah. I got Chloe to cover."

"Wow, she must be what, thirteen now?" I ask, amazed.

"Same age I was when she was born," Cass confirms.

"What's she like?" Becca asks. "Is she a total tomboy or like your mother?"

"Yeah. If she loves fashion I'll totally design her some clothes," Megan volunteers.

"Whatever guys," Cassidy says sullenly.

"Wait, you mean? Omigosh, she's a girly-girl!" crows Becca.

Cassidy grunts, "I guess. I mean she plays hockey. She loves it. But she doesn't hate fashion either. Whenever she's not training she's off with Mom looking for outfits."

"Be happy she didn't take up ice hockey," Emma jokes.

"She could be an actual ice princess," I join in.

Cassidy scowls, and Becca says, "You know it wouldn't be that bad. You said it yourself."

"Well—maybe not," Cassidy grudgingly admits. "But let's change the topic."

There's a pause. Megan speaks up abruptly, "I think that I'm pregnant. I'm throwing up and I'm crazy tired and I dunno. I just feel _off_ sometimes."

Emma narrows her eyes. "Sounds like it."

Cassidy nods wisely, "Mhmm, that's how I felt. When I was pregnant I ate like a horse. Well actually, I always eat like one. I ate more like a…well I felt like I could _eat_ a horse."

Megan laughs softly, "I hope I don't gain too much weight. Otherwise I won't be able to fit into my clothes."

Emma gives her a look as she eats a strawberry dipped in cream, "I wouldn't be worried about that Megs. When you get pregnant, you just can't help yourself."

I reach for a brownie, my hand unconsciously skimming my flat stomach. I bite into a brownie and involuntarily give a groan. "Oh my gosh Emma, these are amazing!"

Remembering when Emma and I used to bake in her pink kitchen I smile wistfully, popping another brownie in my mouth. Obviously she hasn't lost her touch; in fact her baking might be even better than before. The conversation continues around me as I continue going through my memories, and I find myself nearly nodding off.

Emma's voice cuts through my sleepy haze. "Okay guys, it's been awesome talking but maybe we should start discussing the book?" She picks up the slim book lying next to her and holds it up. "So how far are you in it?"

"The end of the first chapter," Cassidy says, her voice muffled; she's speaking through a mouthful of strawberries.

"Same," the rest of us chime in.

Emma sighs, her face a mixture of exasperation and amusement. "It's just as well, it's a short book. I have of course finished it but I guess I can keep any spoilers to myself."

We begin to discuss what we think of George and Lennie's relationship and what we thought about their dream of a farm. "I guess there won't be any fun facts now," Cassidy says ruefully, "Not unless one of us makes them."

"I can make them," Emma offers.

"No, Em. You need to rest. If we really want them I can do it," Becca offers. "Jess and I are the only ones without kids, or ones on the way."

Emma shakes her head, "No. It's okay. If we really want to know fun facts we can look facts up about the author and books."

I privately agree. Having book club is really only an excuse to gather with my closest friends, and since we all have busy lives, it's not worth going to a lot of trouble for the sake of sentimentality. I pick up a strawberry and absentmindedly twirl it in my fingers, the red juice staining my fingers. I wipe my hands on my legs and feel my phone buzzing. I answer it, "Jess here."

"Hey. I was just wondering…could you stay at Emma's for dinner? I just realized that I made plans to meet up with a friend," Darcy says casually-almost too casually.

"Uh, lemme check." I glance at Emma and ask her if I can stay after book club. Moments later I tell Darcy, "Yeah, she says it's all good. Stewart's out late too."

"Perfect. Tell her I said hi," he says.

"Bye," I tell him and hang up.

Emma smiles at me, "What was that all about?"

"Darcy said he had plans he forgot about. Which is so not him. He always remembers stuff," I frown.

"Oh well. Stewart's out late so we can have a girl's night in," Emma replies.

Megan tosses a look at Becca and Cassidy that makes me think they're hiding something. "So, would you mind if we stayed too?" Megan asks.

Emma looks surprised, "Of course not."

Cassidy sat back looking satisfied, "Good."

What in the world is going on?


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

**Author's Note: This chapter is a bit choppy since I wrote it over the space of a week but hopefully the surprise makes up for it. The reviews made my day! **

Disclaimer: All rights to the Mother-Daughter Book Club series belong to Heather Vogel Frederick.

Cassidy

I sit at the island counter, my chin resting on my hands watching the bustling kitchen. By the stove Emma is busy cooking grilled cheese sandwiches that are emitting mouth-watering smells, in front of me Jess is making more lemonade and Megan and Becca are setting the table. Frowning, I catch Megan's eye as she retrieves glasses from the dishwasher and she shrugs hopelessly. There's no way to stop Emma from making dinner for us without giving the game away. My phone buzzes and I check is under the table discreetly. Stewart: STILL NEED LIKE ½ HOUR. CAN YOU KEEP HER BUSY?

Becca shifts behind me, holding a stack of plates, and I know she's reading the text over my shoulder. I twist around so I can see her and she nods. "It'll be easy. Besides, grilled cheese is pretty light, they'll still be hungry enough. And Emma's pregnant so she's _doubly_ hungry," she whispers.

My fingers fly over the keypad as I respond to Stewart. When I look up, Emma is switching off the stove and sliding the sandwiches on a plate and Jess is pouring lemonade is for all of us. We all sit down at the table and while Jess and Emma dig into the meal, Megan, Becca, and I pick at our food. To make it seem like I'm eating something, I tear the sandwich into pieces and scatter them around my plate.

But Emma doesn't miss a trick. She glances at me and then my plate, "Not hungry, Cass? Never thought I'd live to see the day."

Taking a small bite, I shrug, worried that if I say something I'll give away the secret. Across the table I see Becca look down and a faint blue light illuminate her face. In a second it's gone but it's enough for me to know it's time to put our plan in to action. Stretching, I say, "You know Emma, we always kick off our book club meetings with a trip to Kimball Farm. And some ice cream would be a great way to cool off."

Megan and Becca nod enthusiastically. Jess casts a suspicious glance at my nearly full plate and then Becca and Megan's but doesn't say anything besides, "Sure. I could do with some ice cream."

Emma stands and begins to clear the plates but I stop her, "No, I'll do that. You sit and rest." I gently push her back into her seat and put the dishes into the dishwasher.

While everyone begins to gather their belongings Megan executes the next step of our carefully planned strategy. "How about we take a page from my mom's book and carpool to Kimball's?"

Luckily for us Emma doesn't miss a beat before answering, "Sure. Reducing our carbon footprint is always good, right?"

Minutes later we're all jammed into my car and I quickly reverse out of the driveway. From the passenger seat Emma waves to a neighbor who's walking their dog and I speed down the block. As I make a swift right turn down the street Emma shakes her head, "Cass, Kimball's is the opposite way."

Trying to keep my voice casual I reply, "Uh well I thought we might take a different route, see a bit more of Concord. It's changed a lot since you left."

Emma doesn't look convinced but sits back in her seat anyway. I drive for a few more minutes before making another turn, thankful that Emma hasn't been to Megan's house otherwise she might start to suspect something. The street in front is filled with cars but a spot in the driveway has been saved for us.

"Ummm…," Jess leans forward in her seat. "This isn't Kimball's. This is Megan's house."

"I know," Megan says confidently. "I asked Cassidy to stop by because I forgot something. Do you guys want to come in? I might be a little bit." Although she phrased it as a question, her tone tells us we have to do as she says.

Obediently we follow her up the porch steps as she unlocks the door. We shuffle, single file, into the hall which is dim and cool, heavy curtains pulled over the windows, blocking the late evening sunlight. As Megan drops her keys and purse on a side table, she directs us towards the living room. As we go through the arch way I push Emma in front of me and she stands there for a split second before all the lights flip on and all the people stuffed into the living room shout, "SURPRISE!"

Emma goes rigid with shock for a moment until Stewart steps out of the crowd and wraps an arm around her. "Happy birthday honey," he says to her.

Mrs. Hawthorne joins them and pulls Emma into her own embrace before saying, "It's also a baby shower. Come on Emma, go on to the seat of honor," and prodding her towards a comfortable arm chair placed in the middle of the room.

Someone switches on the stereo and before I know it, the party is in full swing. People start to get their food which is set up buffet style (thanks to Stewart and Darcy and catered by Becca from Pies and Prejudice) and sit everywhere, talking. As I help myself to a heaping plate of food I observe the party-goers. Mrs. Hawthorne, who looks as cheerful as ever with streaks of gray through her still curly hair, is perched happily on the arm of Emma's chair, chattering away. Mr. Hawthorne is now gray-haired with a bit of a belly and glasses he continuously is pushing up the bridge of his nose and is talking animatedly with Mr. Chadwick in the corner. Mr. Chadwick is definitely more outgoing than ten years ago while Mrs. Chadwick seems more toned down and has grown her hair out from that terrible porcupine hair style she had back when we were in high school. Mrs. Delaney is as petite as always and is scolding Ryan and Dylan for some kind of mischief they must've gotten into. I smile; looking at them you'd think Mrs. Delaney hasn't realized that they're twenty-one and almost six feet tall. Mr. Delaney is standing close by with his arm around Jess, smiling softly at whatever she's saying to him.

My gaze drifts over to Mrs. Wong who still is sporting her yoga pants and t-shirts and eating some homemade organic concoction I wouldn't touch with a five-hundred foot pole. Mr. Wong is engaged in an intense conversation with Stan the Man, who is now fully bald and has gained about twenty pounds. My mother, still as tall, blonde, and slender as ever is carrying Eva and standing a few yards away from me and is talking fashion with Megan and Chloe. I have no interest in joining any of these conversations and I'm about to drift over to Zach, Stewart, and Tristan's debate over whether the Red Sox can rebound this year when I notice Jess has disengaged herself from her father and is crossing the room towards me.

"Hey Cass," she says, tilting her head up so she can look me in the eye. "Nice party."

"Thanks," I grin at her. "I thought Emma deserved a nice birthday celebration and baby shower."

"It's almost like the old days," she muses. "Barbecues, birthdays, and that disastrous Fourth of July when we got lost in the White Mountains."

"Fun times," I laugh, "Except for the getting lost part, of course."

"I could've done without it," Jess agrees. Then she pauses. "Why didn't you guys tell me about the party? I would've liked to help plan my best friend's birthday and baby shower." She sounds accusing but underneath it I hear a bit of hurt.

I have a toddler so I know how to diffuse hurt feelings. "Look Jess. We thought it would be easier for you. You and Emma have been practically joined at the hip ever since she got back and we thought it wouldn't be fair that you would have to try to hide it from her."

Jess is silent for a moment and I can tell she's trying to decide whether to push the topic any further. Thankfully, she only says, "Well, okay. Thank you for putting some much work in to this. I know Emma appreciates it."

Becca and Megan appear next to us. "Jess! We helped too!" they protest in unison.

Jess chuckles and hugs them. "Thank you guys!"

I smile and wander away from them to retrieve Eva from my mother's arms. She smiles widely at me as I bounce her up and down and coos happily, patting my cheek. My attention is torn away from her as Stewart taps his glass, drawing everyone's attention towards him. He stands, precariously perched on a chair with his glass held high. "I know this isn't traditional. To have men at a baby shower, but since when have we ever been traditional?"

A ripple of laughter goes through the crowd and he smiles before continuing. "Okay. Emma, I hope you like your party and have a wonderful birthday. I'm so happy that we met again and am so, so, so, so happy that in less than five months we'll have a little Chadwick around. I love you."

All the women coo and Mrs. Hawthorne puts an arm around Emma's shoulder and wipes her eyes. Stewart steps down from the chair and Darcy takes his place. "Sorry guys! Not here to make a toast, just wanted to tell you that we have more wine in the kitchen and that we should start opening presents!"

All the guests gathered make noises of agreement and begin to find seats. I find a place on the sofa next to Tristan and settle Eva onto my lap. Darcy seems to be self-appointed gift-giver and he takes the first present from the pile and waves it in the air. "Who's this from?"

Mrs. Hawthorne winces. "Mine. Careful Darcy, there are breakables in there."

"Sorry Mom," Darcy gives his mother a crooked grin before passing the large package to his sister.

Emma begins pulling the ribbon off before glancing up at the Mother-Daughter-Book-Club. "Remember when we gave my mom a chicken for Christmas?"

Ryan and Dylan crack up, as if they're twelve instead of twenty-one while Mrs. Delaney shakes her head, "I don't think Phoebe's ever trusted us again."

Mrs. Hawthorne laughs, "I got over it a long time ago."

"Wow!" Emma pulls out a hard cover book. I don't see what the big deal is but I guess it's some rare old book based on what Emma is gushing to her mother and father.

When she finally calms down, Darcy gives her another present which is a bassinet for the baby followed by a lifetime supply of diapers and pacifiers. Soon Emma is surrounded by a pile of presents, both for her and the baby. Finally she gets to my present which is in a small, rectangular package. She opens it and shows off the silver locket inside. "Cassidy, this is gorgeous! Thank you so much!" She slips the locket around her neck and adjusts it do it hangs right below her collar bone.

I shift uncomfortably, "It was no big deal. There's something else there, a slip of paper."

Emma picks it up and scans it before a huge grin breaks out over her face. "Are you serious Cass?"

I nod grimly, "It's the least I can do. We'll go into Boston and I'll help you pick out the best furniture. It'll be torture, but whatever."

I hear Tristan give a faint snort beside me, "Don't pay attention Emma. Cassidy's changed her tune about shopping ever since Eva came along."

I flush and elbow him. "Just name a weekend and we can make a day of it, Em."

She gives me a smile and turns her attention to the newest gift Darcy has handed her. The party continues with the pile of presents around Emma rapidly growing. I play with Eva to keep her entertained since around seven o'clock she usually gets a bit cranky if she's not at home by then. Finally the guests begin to trickle out until only the daughters and their husbands are left.

Megan says, "Guys, you don't need to stay. Seriously."

Emma snorts, "Yeah right. This place is a mess. It'll take you ages by yourself." She's right; the living room is filled with wrapping paper, dirty plates, empty bottles of wine, and discarded glasses and I can only imagine the kitchen is even worse.

Darcy, even the team leader claps his hands, "Alright, this is how it's going to work. The girls, minus Emma are going to clean up the living room while we boys tackle the kitchen." As Emma begins to protest he says, "Emma, you're watching Eva. You need to practice taking care of a baby and we don't want you doing any heavy lifting."

Emma sighs in protest before beginning to coo over Eva. Seeing them warms my heart, nobody can resist her charms which is funny because Tristan and I are the least friendly out of our friends. But Eva is warm and everybody is drawn to her. Her eyes are always sparkling and her red hair shines like a beacon. Emma's brown curls fall over her face as she tickles Eva's stomach and I can see that she's going to be an amazing mother.

I realize that I'm just standing in the middle of the living room doing nothing so I move around the room stacking plates before carrying them into the kitchen. I hand them to Zach who puts them in the dishwasher which is already jammed with dishes. Tristan is doing the dishes by hand while Stewart dries them and Darcy puts them away. Simon is emptying the fridge to make space for the extra food. Back in the living room Megan is putting the leftover food in containers and Becca is picking up the wrapping paper and putting Emma's gifts in bags so they're easier to carry.

"Megs, where's the vacuum?" Jess calls.

"Hall closet," she calls back, "But honestly, you don't have to vacuum."

Jess ignores her and lugs the vacuum in before switching it on and attacking the carpet with vigor. Emma laughs at the sight; tiny Jess battling the huge vacuum. But it turns out Jess is a really efficient cleaner and soon the living room is cleaner than it was before the party. Simon comes out from the kitchen to retrieve the food from Megan and pauses to look around, "Wow Megan. Maybe we should have parties more often if it means you lot will clean for us."

I playfully cuff him on the shoulder and say, "Good luck with that. From now on I need to channel my energy into keeping _my_ house clean."

He smiles before retreating back to the kitchen. Megan follows him and comes back with a bottle of apple juice and champagne glasses. "We need to celebrate but I figure since 40 percent of us are pregnant we should all just have non-alcoholic drinks." She begins pouring the golden liquid into the glasses and we all take one.

Emma raises her glass, "To the Mother-Daughter-Book-Club!"

"To the Mother-Daughter-Book-Club!" we all echo and clink our glasses and take a sip.

The apple juice is sweet on my tongue and I smile. Life is good.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

**Author's Note: Sorry for not updating sooner, my family is making some changes in our apartment so things have been a bit chaotic. I'm running out of ideas for this story so if you have any suggestions tell me! The reviews are awesome! **

Disclaimer: All rights to the Mother-Daughter Book Club series belong to Heather Vogel Frederick.

Emma

The cool sheets tangle around me as I roll over. Giving up on sleep, I sit up, letting the covers pool around my waist. Cold, white moonlight illuminates the room and I can see the shadows of the furniture. The only sounds are the hum of the air conditioner and Stewart's deep, rhythmic breathing. On the bedside table next to me my alarm clock reads 1:24 AM in glowing red letters. Sighing softly, I extract myself from the tangle of sheets and slip out of bed and pad over to the window, shivering slightly as the cool air hits my arms and legs. I'm just wearing a tank top and a pair of shorts. From here I can see the backyard which is in full July bloom as well as a huge maple tree whose branches are being rustled by a faint breeze. I stand contently for a long moment before I feel a kick from the baby accompanied by a now routine craving. This time I want a Phish Food ice cream from Ben & Jerry's.

I crawl onto the bed and over to Stewart. I pause, he's looks so peaceful and I don't want to wake him. But the baby kicks again and I start to really, really want some ice cream. So I tap him on the shoulder and when he gives only a muffled groan I shake him gently. "Stewart," I whisper. There's no response so I lean close to his ear and say louder, "Stewart!"

He jerks awake and buries his head in the pillow before saying, "Emma, what do you want?"

"Phish Food," I reply apologetically, sitting back on my heels.

"Didn't I just buy some like yesterday?" he asks me.

"Ye-e-es, possibly," I say, "But I'm pregnant and I'm hungry."

Stewart gives a groan and lifts his head from the pillow. "Okay Em. Give me a second to wake up and then I'll head over to the deli."

"Thanks honey," I kiss him on the cheek and lie back. Stewart's practically become best friends with the cashier at the open-all-night deli since he makes trips there at least four times a week, usually after midnight. I feel bad, but hey, who's to deprive the baby from having a late night snack if it wants it?

Stewart closes his eyes briefly before jumping up and getting dressed. He grabs his car-keys from the dresser and gives me a kiss before clattering down the stairs. A moment later I hear the front door shut and then the car engine sputtering to life. My body is tired but my mind is wired so I decide to wander around the house until he gets back. Snagging my phone from its charger I press the home button, squinting as the display comes on, brighter than day. Once I lower the brightness I see I have a text from Jess at 11:57 PM. Ignoring it, I stuff it in my pocket before heading down the hall to the nursery. Stewart and I don't want know the gender of the baby yet so we haven't done any painting yet. Instead we've kept ourselves busy putting together gender-neutral furniture (crib, dressing table, rocking chair) that Cassidy helped me pick out on our shopping spree to Boston and choosing names.

I settle into the rocking chair, pulling my feet up. If Cassidy hadn't named her daughter Eva that would've been my top choice if the baby was a girl. But now we have to start from scratch. I was all for a name from a Jane Austen book but Stewart decreed that although he loves Austen, he doesn't want his child named after a character in her books. I slowly rock and back and forth in the chair, brainstorming baby names. For a boy I decide I like Charles, Alexander, Marcus, Sean, or Samuel and for girls I come up with April, Julia, Leah, Grace, Laurel, and Hazel. I'm so lost in thought that when the front door slams and Stewart calls up the stairs, "Emma?" I jump a mile.

I call back, "Hey! I'm up in the nursery."

I can hear him moving around downstairs and a minute later he climbs up the stairs. He joins me in the nursery and hands me the container of ice cream and a spoon he so thoughtfully remembered to bring. "You're amazing, you know that Stewart?"

He chuckles and settles on the floor, his head resting against my legs. "You're just saying that because I've become your delivery boy."

"No! I really do love you!" I protest, leaning down to kiss the top of his head and then popping off the lid of the ice cream and scooping out a spoonful.

Stewart laughs and gets up. "I know Em. I was just teasing you." He kisses me lightly before yawning. "If you don't mind I might head to bed. I have work tomorrow."

"Of course," I tell him. "Go get your beauty sleep."

He exits the nursery, softly shutting the door and leaving me alone with my thoughts. I begin to rub my belly, which is now too big to cover with baggy shirts and dresses as I continue to eat the ice cream one handed. As I look over the nursery I wonder vaguely what it will be like to be a mother, to have a baby in the house and to have someone completely reliant on me. It's not that I haven't wondered, but I'm five months along now and it's becoming a reality. For nearly half an hour I sit, stuffing myself with ice cream and clearing my mind of all worries and thoughts. Finally my brain winds down and I stand, shaking out my stiff legs. I'm just preparing to go downstairs and put the ice cream in the freezer when I realize I've eaten it all. I let out a small giggle and place the carton on the dresser, promising myself that I'll throw it away in the morning. I creep down the hall and silently slide into bed, careful not to wake Stewart who is snoring loudly. As I settle down Stewart rolls over and wraps his arm protectively around me. I smile, it's comforting to have him near and as I slide into the sleep I found so elusive I feel the baby kick lightly as if to remind me that it's there.

When I next wake it's dark. Frowning I pull myself into a sitting position, surely it's not still night? Then I see the curtains are closed and there's a piece of paper taped to the headboard. It's from Stewart and reads, "7:30 AM. Morning, hope you slept well. I'm leaving for work now but I've left you some cut up fruit on the counter. There's bacon in the fridge along with eggs. Call me when you wake up. xoxox Stewart. P.S. I threw away the ice cream container in the nursery."

I grin, that's so Stewart; he's unbelievably sweet and thoughtful. I find my phone at the bottom of a pile of sheets I must've kicked off in the night and dial Stewart's number as I stumble sleepily down the stairs. The sunlight blinds me as I enter the kitchen and I blink my eyes rapidly to adjust.

"Chadwick speaking," Stewart says, sounding distracted.

"That's funny, I'm a Chadwick too," I joke.

"Emma!" Any sign of him not paying attention is gone and he now sounds alert and enthusiastic.

"Hey honey. I just got up and thought I'd call you to see you're doing."

"I could be better," he replies. "But I'm doing fine. How are you? Any morning sickness today?"

"Nope, I've been lucky so far. I think I might push my luck and try some bacon and eggs," I inform him, pulling out the package of bacon and eggs.

"Good luck with that," he says. There's a crackle of static, and then I hear him saying something, muffled this time as if he has his hand over the microphone.

"Hello?" I say, trying to regain his attention.

"Sorry," he replies, sounding clearer. "I was just giving my intern some instructions. Apparently I was just called to an impromptu meeting about the company so I have to go. Text me about breakfast and make sure you take it easy!"

I roll my eyes, I didn't look for a job when I moved back to Concord and the plan is that I'll relax until the baby comes and then take care of it for a few months and then find a job. Being stuck with nothing to do is driving me crazy but I say to Stewart, "Okay I will. Have fun at your meeting!"

I hear him groan before I hang up. Smirking at the thought of Stewart being stuck in a boring meeting, I amble over to our radio which also conveniently has a dock for my phone. I plug my phone in and switch on some music, humming along as I begin to prepare some breakfast for myself. Soon bacon and eggs are crackling in a pan as I pour myself some orange juice. Sunlight streams into the kitchen, and warms my hair and I can hear the cars on the road out front as they pass by. Finally the eggs are ready and I turn on the radio as I begin to eat. By the time I'm finished, it's ten o'clock and I'm beginning to get restless. Popping my plate and glass in the sink, I trudge upstairs to take a shower and get dressed.

The shower helps relieve some of my restlessness and annoyance of being stuck inside. I return downstairs, my curly hair wet and wash the dishes that are stacked in and around the sink. As I run the water, I look around the kitchen. When we moved in, Stewart told me under no circumstances were we painting our kitchen pink. As a compromise we decided on a light yellow which goes well with the white wooden counters, tables, and chairs from our apartment in California.

Just as I'm putting the last plates in the cupboard the door bell rings, shrill and insistent. Drying my hands on my shorts I waddle into the hallway and pull open the door. I'm temporarily blinded as something crashes into me and wraps their arms around my waist. "Oof," I groan and carefully untangle the arms around my waist.

"Careful Chloe," a laughing voice says.

Stepping away I see that the person who hugged me was Chloe, Cassidy's little sister. "Hey Chloe," I say and give her a hug. "Why don't you all come in?"

"Thanks," Cassidy says, grinning. She shifts Eva slightly and herds Chloe inside, shutting the door firmly behind her.

"Why don't we go into the kitchen?" I ask, putting an arm around Chloe's shoulders.

"Sure," Chloe replies, enthusiastically.

I pull out some chairs and soon we're all settled down, Cassidy to my right with Eva contentedly on her lap and Chloe to my left. "What brings you all here?" I say.

Cassidy groans good naturedly. "I promised Mom that I'd take care of Chloe today, but I forgot what a handful she _and_ Eva are. And since she seemed to like you so much at your party I figured we could come over for a bit."

"Hey! I'm not a handful," protests Chloe indignantly. "I just wanted to see if how fast I could slide down the banister if it was greased with butter!"

I choke down a laugh. "Chloe, don't you worry. Cassidy was way worse than you are. When we were your age we were having food fights and stinky cheese fiascos."

"Really?" Chloe says eagerly. "Mom won't let Cass tell me what she did when she was younger. She claims that Cassidy was a terrible trouble maker."

Cassidy makes a face and begins to bounce Eva up and down. I notice she looks tired and her hair is even more of a mess than usual. I decide to take pity on her. "We were all trouble makers; we got into tons of trouble. How about we make some cookies and I'll tell you some stories?"

"That would be awesome dude! I mean Mrs. Chadwick."

"That makes me feel so old and reminds me of Calliope Chadwick. Just call me Emma," I tell her. I turn to Cassidy, "You look exhausted. Go lie down in the living room or spare room and I'll take care of Eva and Chloe."

"No, no. I can't let you," she says, but I sense that there isn't much resistance behind her words so I push harder.

"C'mon," I coax. "It'll be fine. I'll get you if anything happens. You know where the spare room is."

"Okay, thanks Em," Cassidy says and retreats to a bedroom upstairs.

I scoop up Eva and tickle her before giving instructions to Chloe on what to find in the cupboards to make chocolate chip cookies. Half an hour later, the first tray of cookies in the oven and Chloe is laughing hysterically as I tell her about Megan's blog, Fashionista Jane and her Fashion Faux Pas.

"I can't believe Tristan would go out in public in," she giggles, "spandex. And I can't believe Cassidy voluntarily took up ice dancing."

I shrug, "We did a lot of stuff when we were younger and most of it contributed to how we ended up today."

"What contributed to how we ended up today?" Cassidy asks. I jump, I hadn't noticed that she had appeared in the doorway to the kitchen. When Eva starts to hold out her arms and fuss for her, I see that she looks well rested and more relaxed.

"Ice dancing," Chloe tells her, grinning evilly.

"Oh my gosh Emma. Did you tell her about my ice dancing gig?" Cassidy asks me accusingly.

I try to keep a straight face but burst out laughing. "Yeah, it was funny. And if it makes you feel better I told her some dumb stuff I did too. And stuff Jess, Becca, and Megan did too."

"Whatever," Cassidy says. "Do I smell cookies?"

"Yup, I made them," says Chloe proudly, skipping towards the oven. She pulls open the door and displays the golden cookies.

"Smells good," Cassidy smiles at her. I smother a grin, it's fun to see Cassidy playing the part of a doting older sister as well as the attentive mother.

We pull the cookies out of the oven and sit around the table to eat them. As Chloe teases Eva with part of a cookie Cassidy and I start a conversation. "How's Courtney doing?"

Cassidy's brow furrows. "She's fine, two kids with another on the way. But the doctor has ordered bed rest until the baby's born. So she's going stir crazy."

I cluck my tongue sympathetically, "Yeah, that must be terrible. I hope that doesn't happen to me." I put my hand protectively over my baby bump.

"It won't," Cassidy assures me.

I nod, and we sit back, watching Chloe munch happily on a cookie. All of a sudden my phone, which is lying on the table next to me, begins to ring.

I grab it, checking the caller ID. It's an unidentified number but I pick up anyway. "Hello?"

A deep voice says, "Excuse me? Are you Mrs. Chadwick, wife of Stewart Chadwick?"

"Yes," I say, gripping the table. "Who is this?"

"I'm Charlie Munson from Massachusetts General Hospital and I am calling to tell you that your husband was just admitted to the hospital and we were hoping that you could come down right away."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

**Author's Note: This chapter is a bit shorter than usual but I wanted to update. Thanks for all the reviews and Happy Chinese New Year to anyone who celebrates it! **

Disclaimer: All rights to the Mother-Daughter Book Club series belong to Heather Vogel Frederick.

Jess

I grip the steering wheel tightly and concentrate on the road ahead of me. The radio is on but I barely register it; instead I'm wracked with nerves and sympathy. Poor Emma! She must be so worried about Stewart. I can't imagine how I'd feel if Darcy was the one lying in some hospital in Boston.

Darcy places his hand over mine on the steering wheel and I jump, I'd nearly forgotten that he was in the car with me. "Jess, slow down. You're going to kill us in some crazy car accident. I'm sure Emma would have us alive but half an hour later than being wheeled in on gurneys."

I slant him a glance and ease my foot off the gas fractionally. "Sorry," I tell him, "I'm just really worried about Emma and Stewart."

"I am too. Wait, so what exactly happened to Stewart?" Darcy asks me. "What you told me before we left the house was pretty garbled."

"I couldn't get much out of Em. She was distraught. Apparently the hospital called her around noon to say that Stewart had been admitted because he was hit by a truck and was hurt pretty badly. Luckily Cassidy was there with her when she got the call and drove her to Boston. According to her last text she's waiting to hear what exactly is wrong with him but he's unconscious because they're keeping him on painkillers," I frown slightly as I merge into a new lane for tolls. When I'd first gotten the call I'd been frozen in place but immediately after began to run around, grabbing stuff I'd need and promptly dragged Darcy out to the car after me.

Darcy exhales, "Wow, that's a lot to take in. Was it a hit and run?"

"I think. Emma said that a pedestrian called an ambulance so I guess that means the other driver took off." I reply

"That's just so…" Darcy struggles to express his anger and I slip my hand through his to show I understand and we fall into a comfortable silence as we enter the outskirts of Boston.

Forty-five minutes later we pull up into the hospital's parking lot and I leap out without bothering to switch off the engine. I grab my purse and tap my foot impatiently as Darcy leans over, turns the key, and slides out of the car, locking it as he puts an arm around my shoulder.

"Calm down, Jess," he tells me.

I'm tempted to snap at him but I bite my tongue, he doesn't deserve it. "I'll try."

He hugs me tightly before we enter the reception area of the hospital. I wince at the smell of antiseptic and cleaning fluids before sinking into a hard, uncomfortable plastic chair as Darcy crosses the room to the front desk. I pick up a magazine lying next to me and begin to flip through it without looking at the contents. Out of the corner of my eye, I spy Darcy heading towards me and I jump up, dropping the magazine unceremoniously on the linoleum floor.

"Third floor, room 306," Darcy says.

I'm off like a shot, finding the sign for the stairs and bolting up them. By the time I reach the third floor I'm a total mess but I don't care. Trotting briskly down the hall I peer at the numbers on the doors. 312, 310, 308… ah ha! 306! I knock on the door with three staccato taps and push it open before waiting for a response. The room is sparsely furnished, a bed, a dresser, a TV which is off, and a couple of chairs. One of the florescent lights is flickering which only serves to illuminate the scuff marks on the floor and walls. But when I see Stewart, my breath catches. His face is bruised and his blonde hair is a mess. He's sleeping; the silence is punctuated by his deep breathing, but beneath the thin covers, I can see bandages wound around his legs and abdomen. The machines he is hooked up to make the occasional beeping noise. In a plastic chair sitting next to the bed is Emma who's asleep in a position that I'm sure she'll find uncomfortable later.

I walk across the room, trying to be as quiet as possible, and settle down a chair next to Emma, content to wait now I'm with them. Five minutes pass, then ten, and eventually half an hour has passed. I shift slightly, trying to stretch my legs without having the chair creaking. Unfortunately, the book I'd been reading slips off my lap and falls on the floor with a dull thud. Stewart snuffles slightly in his sleep but Emma jerks awake instantly, "Huh? Wait what? I'm here!"

"Hey," I whisper.

"Jess! Thank goodness you're here!" she throws her arms around me and I hug her tightly, trying to convey my sympathy without words. "Oh man, my neck is stiff. Where's Darcy?" she asks. "He came with you right?"

"Yeah, he texted me about ten minutes ago. He's in the cafeteria, he met Cassidy down there and they decided to stay down there so they wouldn't disturb Stewart."

Emma casts a tearful glance at Stewart before informing me, "The doctors aren't sure but they say he might not be able to walk again."

I stare at her, shocked. "Are you serious?"

"They're not sure but I'm trying to prepare for the worst," she sniffs and I can see that her brown eyes are rimmed with red and there are tear tracks on her face.

"Em! I'm so sorry! It's not fair that something this terrible would happen to you and Stewart!"

Emma sniffs and suddenly bursts out, "I don't know how we'll manage! Our entire house is basically stairs and then the baby…Oh god. I'm a total wreck."

I can see she's on the verge of tears and I desperately try to stop them, "Emma! It's not definite, just relax and I'll tell Darcy to bring you up some tea."

I text Darcy and minutes later he appears with his hands full of steaming cups of tea. Cassidy is next to him and is holding a meal for Emma. Darcy hurries forward and deposits the drinks of the bedside table before engulfing his little sister in a bear hug. Cassidy shakes her head in pity and comes to stand next to me. We all sit and talk in hushed voices about what might happen and how we can help.

At around seven o'clock I begin to feel the first pangs of hunger and I decide it'll be good for Emma to move around so I say, "I'm getting a bit hungry. Emma, come with me to get some food, it'll be good to get out of this room." Sensing her hesitation I press, "Darcy and Cassidy can watch Stewart and they'll text if anything happens."

Darcy nods and I lead Emma out of the room and to the elevator. She's silent on the way down but once I've ordered food for both of us she speaks up, "I feel like a zombie. Like this can't be _me_ standing here, waiting to see if my husband will be able to walk."

I don't say anything further than, "I know," but plunk the tray of food on a vacant table and pull out two chairs.

Emma sits opposite me and pulls her curly hair into a bun. "Talk to me about something that'll get my mind off everything."

I nod and begin to tell her a story about one of Darcy's students finishing with, "I can remember our own adolescent years. We got in so much trouble!"

"I know, even me. The goody two shoes," Emma says. "I had Chloe over this morning and I was telling her stories about us when we were younger. She's the same age Cassidy was when she was born—thirteen. I forgot about a whole bunch of stuff but talking with her reminded me."

I nod and scoop up a bite of my tasteless food, washing it down with a sip of seltzer. Emma merely toys with her food despite my attempts to get her to eat it. Finally I give up and clear the plates, wrapping a sandwich so Emma can eat it later. I tuck it into my purse and the two of us head back to the third floor.

We slip into the still silent room and take our previous seats. An hour ticks by before Stewart begins to stir. Emma rushes to his side and takes his hand, "Stewart! Stewart, are you okay?"

He blinks, his eyes seem hazy, but he manages to say, "I'm fine. Where am I?"

"The hospital. You got pretty hurt by a car during your lunch break. Remember?" Emma probes, obviously concerned.

Stewart's face clears and he blinks before spying Darcy, Cassidy, and I sitting a little ways away. "Hi guys. Sorry you have to be here."

"No, no. It's not a problem man," Darcy rushes to assure Stewart.

"Good, good," Stewart murmurs leaning back, his eyes dropping by the second. Before any of us can say anything, he's fast asleep.

"It must be the painkillers," Emma explains while straightening the blankets around him. She hovers next to him protectively.

"Mmmm," Darcy agrees. "I remember once when I was in the hospital they gave me some. They knock you out pretty good."

The conversation ends and we all sit silently, not daring to say anything. About ten minutes later there's a tap on the door and it swings open. "Hi, I'm Doctor Harris. Mrs. Chadwick, I've got news on your husband."

Darcy and Cassidy look up eagerly when they hear the doctor's voice while Emma simply sits still, obviously expecting the worst. Darcy smiles reassuringly at me as I perch on the edge of my chair. To my right Emma sits, her back straight and her gaze fixed attentively on the man who holds the news of her husband's fate.

The doctor is about 5'9 with light brown hair and an open friendly face which is currently wearing a sober expression. He runs his hand through his floppy hair and checks his clipboard before speaking to Emma. "Mrs. Chadwick. It seems that your husband will not be able to walk again…"

His voice fades out as I try and process it. I only manage to pay attention at the very end as he says, "Mr. Chadwick was very lucky. If he'd been a foot behind where he was he would certainly be dead right now."

Stone-faced, Emma thanks the doctor before escorting him out and shutting the door firmly. Her face is stark white and her eyes look very large and dark. She sits on the edge of Stewart's bed and takes his hand and after a moment I join her, draping an arm around her shoulders. "I'm so, so, so, so sorry Em. But you know we'll all be here for you."

She nods and suddenly a river of tears make their way down her face and onto her lap. I bite my lip; I can't say I understand what she's going through; the only thing I can offer is my support and unconditional love.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

**Author's Note: Two chapters in two days! (By the way, this is the last chapter before the epilogue!) Thank you for the reviews!**

Disclaimer: All rights to the Mother-Daughter Book Club series belong to Heather Vogel Frederick.

Becca

I slam the car door shut and stand in the driveway for a moment soaking in the last of the afternoon sunshine. August is coming to a close and I'm trying to get as tan as I can. After a few minutes though I decide I should probably go into the house. As I walk up the pathway I can see some of the changes Emma and Stewart have had to make to allow Stewart to get around more easily. They've put a ramp up to the porch and put a stone walkway around the yard so Stewart can get around in his wheelchair as well as a cleared space on the porch so he can sit outside.

As I stand on the porch I straighten my shirt and make sure the French braid I put my hair up in is still in place before rapping my knuckles against the door. I hear a faint commotion from the other side followed by a harried voice, "I'll be right there!" Slow, heavy footsteps sound and the door opens, revealing a heavily pregnant Emma. Her hair is in disarray, there are bags under her eyes, and she's wearing a baggy t-shirt paired with a pair of leggings.

"Becca," is all she says in way of greeting. But her tone is not unfriendly, just tired.

"Hey Emma," I say brightly.

She musters a smile, "Come on in. I think there's some lemonade in the kitchen…" Her voice trails off as she lumbers down the hallway, obviously expecting me to follow.

I frown as I shut the door. Emma looks too tired. She's almost eight months pregnant; she should be resting not trying to take care of the house singlehandedly. But then again when your husband is newly confined to a wheelchair I guess there isn't much time to relax. I head into the living room where I know Stewart will be reading. Passing through the hallway, I note the house looks better kept than I thought even though it's not exactly spotless.

I step into the living room, "Hey bro."

Stewart looks up from what I'm guessing is a parenting book. "Becca! How are you?"

I smile cheerfully at him but inwardly wince. He won't be able to walk again but he's acting as gracious as ever. "I'm great thanks. You?"

His smile falters slightly but he quickly recovers it. "Fine, going a bit stir crazy though." He sends a concerned look at his wife who is sitting on the couch, a vacant, tired look on her face.

"That's good. I brought over some food from Pies and Prejudice as well as some flowers. I thought maybe I could help around the house with any shopping or cleaning that you need done," I tell him.

Emma sits up, "That's really kind of you Becca. I could use some help in the kitchen but for the most part we're good. Darcy and Jess stop by almost every day to help."

I suddenly feel guilty. Should I have stopped by more often? I came once or twice a week to bring food and help out a bit but still, Stewart's my brother. As if she's reading my thoughts Emma says, "No Becca, you shouldn't have stopped by more. I know how busy P&P is. Jess and Darcy are both teachers so they have the summer off."

I nod but I'm still feeling guilty, so I make a resolution to do everything I can to help today. "Do you want me to put this food in the fridge?" I gesture to the bag I'm holding. Emma begins to stand but I quickly shake my head, "Nope. You stay there and rest."

I quickly hurry down the hall to the kitchen and set my bag down on a chair. Darcy and Jess must've not been over for a couple of days because the kitchen is pretty gross. I start by filling a vase with water and putting the tulips I bought in. After clearing and wiping down the table, I set the flowers in the center. Opening the shopping bag full of food I cooked I begin to put it in the fridge, stacking the containers neatly one on top of the other. As I do that, I throw out any expired food I come across and clean the shelves. Next I tackle the mountain of dishes that have accumulated next to the sink and empty the dishwasher and drying rack. Taking out the trash, I also grab the recycling and make a mental note to do the laundry and clean the bathrooms.

Two hours later I've vacuumed the house, put away all the books scattered around, put a load of laundry in the dryer, scrubbed the kitchen and am preparing a dinner that consists of a salad, roasted chicken, potatoes, and for dessert, ice cream I got from Kimball's. My back is aching and my hands are red from hot water but I feel good that I've helped Emma and Stewart.

"Em! Stewart! Dinner's ready!" I call as I carefully set the table for two.

Stewart rolls into the kitchen with Emma right behind him. He sniffs the air and says appreciatively, "It smells really good in here."

"Thanks," I reply and set down the platter of chicken.

Emma scans the table, "Wait, aren't you going to stay and eat with us?"

"I wouldn't want to intrude," I say hastily, making a grab for my bag.

But Emma is surprisingly nimble and she blocks my way, "No way Becca. You've done a ton of work. The least we can do is offer for you to stay to dinner…a dinner that you cooked." She smiles at me and I relent.

"Alright, I will." I retrieve another plate and extra set of cutlery and join them.

"Wow Becca the whole place looks fantastic. Maybe even better than when Emma was cleaning," Stewart teases his wife.

Emma laughs and I'm relieved to see some life come into her face. "Stewart!" she exclaims. "That is so not true! No offense Becca," she adds to me.

"No it's okay," I tell her and I mean it. It's nice to hear her laughing. Looking at Stewart sitting at the table it's easy to imagine that he's not sitting in a wheel chair and that any second he's going to stand up and go find a book with a funny quote in it.

The easy banter continues between the two of them and I'm content to sit back and just watch allowing their voices to flow around me. I don't remember falling asleep but the next thing I know Emma is gently shaking me awake. "Becca, wake up."

I yawn loudly but quickly cover my mouth when I realize how close she is. "Sorry! I didn't mean to fall asleep."

She waves away my apologies, "Relax. I'm feeling much better thanks to you. I managed to take a nap and even brush my hair and put on some respectable clothes." I take her in fully and notice she is telling the truth. Her face isn't quite as pale and her brown hair has been tamed and pushed behind her ears. She's wearing a wrap around dress and a pair of sandals.

"That's great," I tell her warmly. "I'm glad I could do something for you guys. I feel that I should've done more."

"Nonsense, you've done more than you needed to," she hugs me best as she can with her huge baby bump.

I laugh and tap her stomach. "Have you decided whether or not you want to know the gender of the baby?"

Emma shakes her head, "We're still not sure. But at this rate I'm pretty sure we'll just have to wait until the baby's born. Whatever the gender I have the feeling they're going to be a great athlete. They're kicking up a storm."

"Any thoughts on names?" I ask her.

She grins, "Tons of them. Stewart and I argue over them every day. I'm rooting for April if it's a girl and Marcus if it's a boy. He's voting for Isabel and Thomas."

"I'm a fan of April. It seems like your kind of name," I tell her.

"I know! That's why I like it! It has this nice feeling to it." Emma seems lost in thought so I stay quiet and stare at my clasped hands resting on the table. The kitchen is quiet except for the ticking of the clock and the muffled sound of music from the living room.

My phone rings, shattering the peaceful atmosphere. I grab it and press a bunch of random buttons in an attempt to silence the ringtone. I mouth "Sorry" at Emma who only looks on with amusement.

"Hello?" I say.

"Hey," Zach says.

"Zach!" I say, louder than I intended. Emma looks up but when she sees nothing is wrong she goes back to her book.

"Becca!" he laughs.

"I totally forgot to tell you that I was going over to Emma and Stewart's," I gasp.

"Relax. I can take of myself for one night. You don't have to come home yet, I got some leftovers from P&P," he says.

"Good," I say. "I'll be back in about forty-five minutes. I'm going to pick up some stuff at the grocery store."

"Alright. Love you," he says.

"Love you too," I tell him.

I shove my phone back into my bag and tap Emma, who is deeply engrossed in her book which I see is about baby-care. "Emma. I've got to go. I'll see you soon. I'm coming over in a few days to help out some more."

"No, you don't need to that," she protests.

"I insist," I say firmly. "I'm just going to say goodbye to Stewart. Remember, I left a whole bunch of food in the fridge as well as some ice cream."

"Thank you Becca. I mean it."

I smile at her as I leave the kitchen and slip into the living room. Stewart's eyes are closed and I'm about to leave when they open and he says, "Becca. Come over here, I was only resting my eyes."

I hesitantly cross the room and stand next to him. "Feeling okay?'

"Yeah, yeah. I just wanted to say I'm so grateful. I feel useless not being able to walk. Emma is running around and the baby…" he trails off hopelessly

"It's going to be fine. After a while you'll be going around as usual," I reassure him.

"You're lying," he says but he's smiling at me.

"No, I swear."

"Alright, if you say so Rebecca," he teases me.

I roll my eyes and bend down to hug him. I tousle his hair like a little kid and he bats my hand away. I laugh and say my final goodbyes before letting myself out. Once I'm outside I take a deep breath. It took a lot of energy to be cheerful around the two of them when all I wanted to do was cry. I've seen Stewart numerous times since the accident but I still can't get used to the sight of him in a wheelchair. My eyes start to burn and I rapidly blink away tears. I remember him running around when he was younger and then playing hockey and biking all over Concord and walking Yo-Yo. Things he can't do now. I wipe my eyes and get in the car, switching on the air conditioning and radio.

As I drive I think hard about what life would be like if Zach was the one in the wheel chair. We'd have to move, there was no way he could get to the apartment above the tea shop and he wouldn't be able to help in the shop. He wouldn't be able to drive or do any sports. It would be a totally different lifestyle. But then I realize; I'd adjust and so would he. And so will Emma and Stewart and all the people around them. Because after all, life goes on regardless of whether or not you're prepared to go with it.


	10. Chapter 10

Epilogue

**Author's Note: This takes place about fourteen or fifteen years after Chapter 9.**

Disclaimer: All rights to the Mother-Daughter Book Club series belong to Heather Vogel Frederick.

Megan

The last fourteen years have been a learning curve for me and all of my friends. All of our houses are filled with toys, moody teenagers, and dirty dishes. The cars that were suitable for young married couples have been traded in for family-friendly cars which have booster seats in the back. The fridge and pantry are stocked with snacks and juice boxes. Sticky fingerprints cover the windows and banisters and houses are furnished with artwork made by our kids. And in Cassidy's case she learned how to plan a wedding and be a wife. Our lives are chaotic and filled with messes but also memories that none of us would trade for any amount of money on earth.

"Tessa!" I yell up the stairs. "We're leaving in forty-five minutes so get ready!" I wait on the first step for a reply but all I get is silence. I try again, "Tessa! Did you hear me?"

There's a beat of silence before her irritated voice calls back, "Yeah I heard you the first time. You didn't need to say it again."

"I actually _did_ because I-" I begin but stop myself with some effort. Telling her that I need a response will just make her more annoyed and that's the last thing I need right now. I count to ten in my head and remind myself that at fourteen I was also always at odds with my mother.

I tuck my hair behind my ears and head to my bedroom which is located on the first floor of the roomy house Simon and I bought when we found out I was expecting our second child, Nate. The top of the dresser is overflowing with scarves, make up and perfume, a fact that Simon often complains good-naturedly about. I find an outfit appropriate for a casual lunch with friends and family and take a quick shower. As I get dressed I find myself drawn to the mirror. Peering at my reflection closely I inspect my face for wrinkles and make sure my hair is as black as ever. Simon tells me that I don't need to worry about that kind of stuff and that I look about thirty. But I know that it's bound to show up soon since I just turned forty-one.

I shake off thoughts about my appearance and decide to round up the rest of my family to get them ready. Passing through the kitchen I lean out the window and yell over the roar of the lawn mower, "SIMON! We're leaving in half an hour! Get ready!" He gives me a thumbs up in response but I know he'll make us late anyway.

I pass through the living room and see my eight year old son curled up on the sofa. "Hey honey. Can you maybe get ready?" I ask looking at his pajamas.

"Can I just finish this episode?" he pleads, widening his chocolate brown eyes.

"No," I tell him firmly. "Get ready. I'll help you if you need it."

"I'm okay," he says and jumps off the sofa, running towards his room.

I sigh and switch off the TV before finding my two year old daughter, Lauren who is busy chewing the ends of her brown hair. "Don't chew on that," I scold her gently, prying her hair out of her chubby fists.

She stares up at my, her blue eyes filling with tears, "Mama…"

I quickly begin bouncing her up and down in my arms, hoping to head off a potential tantrum. Since both Simon and I are pretty even-tempered I have no idea where Lauren got her extreme personality. She can be happy one second and screaming the next. "I didn't mean to upset you, it's just a bit yucky," I tell her.

Her bad mood seems to be gone when she gives me a sunny smile and I relax slightly. I really don't want to haul a screaming child around Concord. Continuing to play and coo over her, I bring her upstairs to the nursery where I change her diaper and put her in some clean clothes. In Lauren's bedroom I can hear and feel the bass that's coming from some music Tessa's playing. I frown; if it's this loud from here surely it's making Tessa go deaf. I plop Lauren into her play pen and give her a few blocks before heading down the hall to my oldest daughter's bedroom, steeling myself as I go, fights with Tessa can be full of screaming, tears, and accusations.

I knock on the wooden door and feel the floor beneath me shake slightly as the bass drops in the music. The music is obviously too loud for Tessa to hear me so I swing open the door. I haven't been in this room in over a year, not since Tess first became a teenager and decided that she wanted more privacy. I assumed it would be a dump with laundry all over the place, the blinds shut, and the bed unmade. Instead I find the room is as neat as a pin; the bed is made neatly, the room is full of sunshine and the only thing out of place is a pile of books her bedside table. Tessa herself is sitting at the tidy desk, her back to the door, reading a book with her laptop open, playing incredibly loud music. I cross to the desk silently and reach over her shoulder to pause the music. Tessa jumps and a surprised look crosses her face which she quickly turns into a scowl when she sees it's me.

"What do you want?" she asks, glaring at me. "Why are you in my room?"

"Your music was too loud and I wanted to make sure that you were getting ready," I say, meeting her gaze evenly.

"I am," she snaps, gesturing to herself. I note she's dressed in an outfit I designed and feel a sense of triumph. At least she likes my clothes.

"Good," I say. "Please come downstairs. We're almost ready to leave."

She flips her chestnut colored hair but doesn't say anything so I leave, shutting the door securely.

I'm about to retrieve Lauren when I hear a crash and a suspiciously innocent voice say, "Mommy?"

My mom-radar is immediately alert. Nate doesn't call me Mommy unless he thinks he's going to get in trouble. "What is it Nate?" I ask, cautiously approaching his bedroom. I stop at the door; he's shattered his lamp and knocked over a bookshelf. I sigh and call for Simon to help me clean up.

Forty-five minutes later I'm stepping into Pies and Prejudice with a rumpled Simon, grumpy Tessa, cheerful Nate, and sunny Lauren. "Sorry we're so late. We had some...problems," I say breathlessly to the room at large.

"Oh no problem," Becca reassures me, hurrying towards us while wiping her hands on her apron. "It's great you could come!"

Zach comes up beside her and wraps an arm around her shoulders, smiling at us, "We've had our share of troubles today."

Simon chuckles, "Well the store looks great." It's true, in honor of our party Becca has cleaned the whole place from top to bottom. There are three big tables as well as a buffet and a play corner for the younger kids which consists of a rug with a bunch of books, toys, and games.

I hear a clattering on the stairs and a moment later a streak of blonde hair flashes past me and makes a beeline for Tessa. It's Melissa, Becca and Zach's oldest child who is Tessa's best friend. The two of them hug before heading to a table to start gossiping and playing on their phones. Melissa is basically a clone of Becca at that age, only nicer.

"Why don't let Nate play with Ben?" Becca suggests, pointing to the rug in the corner where her six year old son is intently building a Lego structure.

"Sure thing," Simon agrees and sends Nate over.

As Nate plops down next to Ben, he bell over the door rings and April Chadwick comes in and without a glance at the rest of us scurries over to join Tessa and Melissa who are huddled at a table in the corner. Seconds later Emma arrives. "April!" she scolds, "say hello to everybody."

April glances up a gives a muttered, "hey" before returning to her conversation. Her brown hair falls over her shoulders and she sweeps it away with impatiently.

Emma stares at her daughter for a second longer before huffing in annoyance and turning to us. "I'm sorry about April. I don't know how to handle her."

Becca chuckles, "Relax, she's a teenager."

Stewart, who has entered the tea shop in his wheelchair bobs his head in agreement, "Teenage girls are nothing but trouble."

Becca, Emma, and I protest but we stop when Zach says, "Remember what you were all like?"

"Pancake fight at the battle reenactment," Emma offers.

"Switched Secret Santa presents," Becca adds.

I laugh ruefully, "Fashion Faux Pas."

"I loved Fashionista Jane!" Cassidy says.

"Cassidy!" we all chorus.

"Hey guys," she grins at us." Becca, I hope you made some awesome food, I'm starving!"

Tristan comes hurrying in behind, giving a piggy back ride to Margaret even though last weekend I'd heard her declare that seven years old she was too old to be picked up or carried. "She's even worse than when she was pregnant with Eva or Margaret. I swear, whenever I go shopping, immediately after the pantry is empty," he complained.

"I'm eating for two!" Cassidy protests, resting a hand on her swollen stomach. "Although at the size I am I might be having twins! And anyway, I'm not the only one with a huge appetite." She points at the buffet Becca has set up. Eva is standing there, sandwich in hand.

Eva just shrugs when she sees us, popping the rest of the sandwich into her mouth, "I was hungry."

"She's just like me," Cassidy says proudly.

We all laugh and the door swings open once again, revealing the Hawthornes. Jess and Darcy usher their three kids through door. Eleven year old Samantha ducks her head bashfully; nine year old Ashley holds her father's hand, and Chris, the youngest at six runs around in circles before settling down next to Ben and Nate.

Jess and Darcy say their hellos and before long we're all looking for our tables which involves a lot of bumping elbows and stepping on feet. After all, there are twenty-one of us in the teashop. Finally we settle down at our tables; all the adults and toddlers are at one big table, Tessa, Melissa, April, Eva, Samantha, and Ashley are at another, while Nate, Ben, Margaret, and Chris are happily seated on the floor.

The tantalizing smell of the food Becca has prepared becomes unbearable as the children serve themselves first as the adults talk. Finally the kids settle down with their plates and there's a scraping of chairs as me and the rest of my friends and their husbands get up to fill our plates. The buffet consists of salad, different types of sandwiches, as well as roast chicken, pasta, and other appetizers. I immediately grab a Panini and help myself to pasta and pour a glass of Sprite. There's a lot of chatter as people sample different foods and serve themselves. There are surprisingly few accidents considering there are eleven children running around. Ten minutes later everyone is situated at their seats with full glasses and plates. Even the little ones have stopped causing trouble in favor of eating the delicious food.

The teashop is filled with the sound of family and friends talking and relaxing together. Early afternoon sunlight filters through the windows, giving the whole place a warm, contented feeling. Outside brown, yellow, and orange leaves swirl on the gentle breeze as the occasional car goes by. I sigh, even with the troubles my family will have, I'm perfectly happy right now. I wish someone could capture it in words.

As if she's reading my mind, Emma stands up and taps her knife against her glass, effectively silencing everybody. "I wish to propose a toast. Thirty years ago a group of mothers got together after yoga class and created a Mother-Daughter-Book-Club without consulting their daughters. And those daughters thought it was a truly terrible idea. And maybe at the beginning it was. There were fights. Food fights among others." She flashes a grin at Becca who grimaces. "But there were also a lot of happy times. Becca joined, we had trips to New York, the White Mountains, Wyoming, England, and we had many laughs, as well as tears. Even though we lost touch after college, our friendship was strong enough to bring us back together.

"Mom!" April complains. "Stop being so sappy! It's embarrassing!"

Emma smiles, "My darling daughter wishes me to stop so I'll just say one more thing. Now we're all married, including Cassidy and Tristan and we all have kids. And we can thank the Mother-Daughter-Book-Club for that! To the Mother-Daughter-Book-Club!"

"To the Mother-Daughter-Book-Club," we all echo, raising our glasses.

The Mother-Daughter-Book-Club really _has_ given me everything; amazing friends, an awesome British husband and by default three lovely (if at times grumpy) children. Long live the Mother-Daughter-Book-Club!

**I hope you all like the last chapter of Reunited. It's been one month writing this and it's been a great experience! Thank you to all my reviewers and readers! You all are amazing and I couldn't have finished the story without your support. (A special shout-out to Dess4ever who has reviewed every chapter!) I'll be posting a new story soon and I hope you stop by my profile and check it out. Ciao! **

**-Ana **


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